History of Ray Dalio in Timeline

Ray Dalio is an American billionaire and hedge fund manager, serving as co-chief investment officer of Bridgewater Associates, the world's largest hedge fund, since 1985. He founded Bridgewater Associates in 1975. Dalio is known for his unique investment strategies and management principles, which he has shared in his books, including 'Principles: Life and Work.' His approach emphasizes radical transparency, idea meritocracy, and a systematic, rules-based decision-making process. He is a prominent voice on economic trends and financial markets.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

August 8, 1949: Raymond Dalio Born

On August 8, 1949, Raymond Thomas Dalio was born. He is an American billionaire and hedge-fund manager.

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1973: MBA from Harvard Business School

In 1973, Dalio received his MBA from Harvard Business School after attending C.W. Post College of Long Island University.

1974: Started at Shearson Hayden Stone and Fired

In 1974, Dalio became a futures trader and broker at Shearson Hayden Stone. He was later fired from Shearson Hayden Stone after punching his boss in the face while drunk at a New Year's Eve party in 1974.

1975: Founded Bridgewater Associates

In 1975, Ray Dalio founded Bridgewater Associates, initially a wealth advisory firm. Bridgewater started out as a wealth advisory firm, which served numerous corporate clients, mostly retained from Dalio's job at Shearson Hayden Stone.

1979: Son Paul Born

In 1979, his second son, Paul Dalio, was born. He is a film director.

1981: Bridgewater Opened Westport Office

In 1981, Bridgewater opened an office in Westport, Connecticut, which was where Ray and his wife wanted to start a family.

1984: Visited China

In 1984, Dalio visited China where high-ranking officials would marvel at basic technology such as calculators, calling them "miracle devices".

1987: Profited from Stock Market Crash

In 1987, Dalio became well known outside of Wall Street after turning a profit from the 1987 stock market crash.

1991: Launched "Pure Alpha" Strategy

In 1991, Ray Dalio launched Bridgewater's flagship strategy, "Pure Alpha", referring to excess returns above a market benchmark.

1996: Launched All Weather Fund

In 1996, Dalio launched All Weather, a fund that pioneered a steady, low-risk strategy known as risk parity.

2005: Bridgewater Becomes Largest Hedge Fund

In 2005, Bridgewater Associates became the world's largest hedge fund.

2007: Predicted the 2008 Financial Crisis

In 2007, Bridgewater predicted the 2008 financial crisis.

2008: Published "How the Economic Machine Works"

In 2008, Dalio published "How the Economic Machine Works: A Template for Understanding What is Happening Now", assessing economies by various criteria.

February 2009: Used the term "d-process"

In February 2009, Dalio began using the term "d-process" to describe the deleveraging and deflationary process of the subprime mortgage industry and incorporated the term into his investment philosophy.

April 2011: Joined the Giving Pledge

In April 2011, Dalio and his wife joined the Giving Pledge, vowing to donate more than half his fortune to charitable causes within his lifetime.

2011: Self-Published "Principles"

In 2011, Dalio self-published a 123-page volume, Principles, outlining his philosophy of investment and corporate management.

Principles: Life and Work

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February 2012: Teacher Retirement System of Texas purchased a stake in Bridgewater

In February 2012, the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) purchased a stake in Bridgewater Associates Intermediate Holdings, LP, for $250 million.

2012: Time 100 List

In 2012, he appeared on the annual Time 100 list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

2014: Reportedly Earned $1.1 Billion

In 2014, Dalio reportedly earned $1.1 billion, including a share of his firm's management and performance fees, cash compensation and stock and option awards.

2015: Net Worth Estimated at $15.4 Billion

In 2015, Forbes estimated his net worth at $15.4 billion, making him the second-wealthiest hedge fund manager after George Soros.

March 2017: Stepping Down as Co-CEO

In March 2017, Dalio announced he would step down as co-CEO of Bridgewater as part of a company-wide shakeup.

2017: Author of "Principles: Life & Work"

In 2017, Dalio authored the book "Principles: Life & Work", which is about corporate management and investment philosophy.

Principles: Life and Work

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2017: Principles: Life & Work Published

In 2017, Dalio published Principles: Life & Work.

Principles: Life and Work

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2018: Published Principles for Navigating Big Debt Crises

In 2018, Dalio published Principles for Navigating Big Debt Crises.

Principles for Navigating Big Debt Crises

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2018: Received $2 Billion in Compensation

In 2018, Dalio was estimated to have personally received $2 billion in compensation for the year, after his fund posted a 14.6% return.

2018: OceanX Initiative Commitment

In 2018, OceanX, an initiative of the Dalio family, and Bloomberg Philanthropies committed $185 million over four years to protect the oceans.

March 2019: Named One of Highest-Earning Hedge Fund Managers

In March 2019, Forbes named Dalio one of the highest-earning hedge fund managers and traders.

April 7, 2019: Income Inequality Discussion on 60 Minutes

On April 7, 2019, Dalio said on 60 Minutes that income inequality in the United States was a national emergency requiring reform.

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July 2019: Called for Refinement of Capitalism

In July 2019, Dalio again called for the refinement of capitalism and called wealth inequality a national emergency.

November 2019: Posted blog entry on Paradigm Shift

In November 2019, Dalio posted a blog entry stating that excess capital, unfunded social liabilities, and government deficits had created a recipe for disaster in what he called a "paradigm shift".

2019: Published Principles for Success

In 2019, Dalio published an illustrated version called Principles for Success.

Principles for Success

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2019: Pledged $100 Million to Connecticut Public Schools

In 2019, he pledged $100 million to Connecticut public schools.

February 2020: Dalio Foundation Donated to Coronavirus Recovery

In February 2020, the Dalio Foundation donated $10 million to support China's coronavirus recovery efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

March 2020: Dalio Foundation Donated to Connecticut

In March 2020, the Dalio Foundation gave $4 million to the state of Connecticut to fund healthcare and nutrition.

May 2020: Stressed Importance of Reforming Capitalism

In May 2020, he stressed the importance of reforming capitalism, not abandoning it, saying: "As the current crisis unfolds, we should remember that throughout history, capitalism has proven to be the best system, though it can sometimes be highly flawed."

October 13, 2020: Launched Dalio Center for Health Justice

On October 13, 2020, NYP launched the Dalio Center for Health Justice with a gift of $50 million.

October 2020: Cautioned About China's Rise

In October 2020, Dalio cautioned people to not be blind to China's rise, arguing that it had continued to emerge as a global superpower and downplayed Chinese human rights violations.

October 2020: Discussed Income Inequality

In October 2020, Dalio said that there has been little income growth for average citizens over the preceding two decades, with the bottom 60% of workers having no inflation-adjusted income growth since the 1980s. He mentioned that income inequality was at its highest level since the 1930s.

2020: Son Devon Died

In 2020, Dalio's oldest son, Devon, died in an automobile accident at age 42.

2021: Produced PrinciplesYou

In 2021, Dalio produced a free online personality assessment called PrinciplesYou.

2021: Published Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order

In 2021, Dalio published Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order.

Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order: Why Nations Succeed and Fail

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January 2022: Bloomberg News Reported Net Worth

In January 2022, Bloomberg News reported Dalio's net worth as $15.7 billion, making him the world's 123rd-richest person.

January 21, 2022: Net Worth of $20 Billion

According to Forbes, Dalio had an estimated net worth of $20 billion as of January 21, 2022.

November 2023: New York Times Report on Dalio

In November 2023, a New York Times investigative report raised questions about Dalio's investment philosophy and methodology, indicating investments are based on his picks and insider information.

December 2024: Ranked on Forbes' Richest People in the World

As of December 2024, Dalio was ranked #124 on Forbes' Richest People in the World with a net worth of $15.4 billion.

April 2025: Warned About U.S. Economy

In April 2025, Dalio warned about "something worse than a recession" for the U.S. economy and a "monetary order breakdown" globally and criticized the Trump administration's policy on tariffs.